Money. Whether we have it or we don’t, it’s a constant in our everyday lives. Its presence – or absence is felt as we go about our business every single day. So why is it so hard to talk about?

Saying to a friend, “Hey, I’m tapped out 'til payday” is hard enough, but what about those conversations we HAVE to have? Conversations like “Mom? Do you have anything set aside for assisted living?” or “Honey, shall we take a loan for this cruise … or fix the roof instead” – why do they have to be so … fraught? And although we want our kids to learn to manage money and be smart about it … we don’t have the first clue how to talk to them about it and besides, our finances are none of their business, right?

The experts offer some advice on having these "awkward conversations" without getting your whole family mad at you.